Paper towel dispenser and transfer mechanism

ABSTRACT

A roll paper towel dispenser having stations for primary and reserve rolls of paper toweling. Provision is made for automatic transfer of feed of the paper toweling from the primary roll and then from the reserve roll, the transfer mechanism being operative under the influence of decrease or termination in the tension of the web running from the primary roll to the feed mechanism. Provision is also made for convenient shifting of the roll from the reserve roll station to the primary roll station without the necessity of rethreading the paper web through the feed mechanism.

' United States Patent Graham, Jr. et a]. Nov. 4, 1975 PAPER TOWELDISPENSER AND 2,668,022 2/1954 Fairfield 242/55.53 TR S MECHANISM2,930,664 3/1960 Liebisch 242/58 X 5 2,974,839 3/1961 Batlas et a1.242/58.4 x Inventors: Andrew Stuerd Graham, J 3,288,387 11/1966 Graven,Jr. 242/55.3 x

Wyncote; Coleman David Berg, 3,310,214 3/1967 Nesin Philadelphia, bothof Pa. 3,318,547 5/1967 Bejach 3] gneez Fort Howard Paper Company3,580,757 5/1971 N1epmann 242/58.4 Green Primary ExaminerJ0hn W. Huckert[22 Filed; 27, 1973 Assistant Examiner-John M. Jillions 1 pp NO: 391,655.ggtrgfy, Agent, or Ftrm Cullen, Settle, Sloman &

Related U.S. Application Data [6 Continuation-impart of Ser. No.243,230, April 12, [57] ABSTRACT 1972, abandoned. A roll paper toweldispenser having stations for primary and reserve rolls of papertoweling. Provision is [52] U.S. Cl. 242/55.3; 226/11; 226/91; made forautomatic transfer of feed of the paper tow- 226/ 186; 242/55.53; 242/58eling from the primary roll and then from the reserve [51] Int. Cl. B65H19/04; B65l-I 19/10; roll, the transfer mechanism being operative underthe 3 51- 25 00 influence of decrease or termination in the tension of[58] Field of Search 242/553, 55.53, 55.2, the Web running from the p yroll to the feed 242/5 5&4 752 753 7 312 39; 22 44 mechanism. Provisionis also made for convenient 17 186, 131 11 91 shifting of the roll fromthe reserve roll station to the primary roll station without thenecessity of rethread- 56 References Cited ing the paper web through thefeed mechanism.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 9 Claims, 1 1 Drawing Figures 2,174,802 10/1939Mullen 242/55.2

US. Patent Nov. 4,1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,917,191

llllll Ill Illl llllk A- U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet2 of3 3,917,191

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,917,191

PAPER TOWEL DISPENSER AND TRANSFER MECHANISM REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part application ofour copending application, Ser. No. 243,230 filed Apr. 12, 1972, nowabandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to roll paper dispensers,espe- I cially such dispensers as employed in the dispensing of papertoweling. Moreover, the invention is particularly concerned with rollpaper dispensers having at least two paper roll stations, foraccommodating primary and reserve paper rolls and in which provisionismade for, automatic transfer of the paper feed from the primary rolland then from the reserve roll at or close to the point of exhaustion ofthe paper web of the primary. roll. After the feed has been transferredto the reserve roll, the loading or refilling operation involves ashifting in position of the reserve roll to the station previouslyoccupied by the primary roll and a new reserve roll is then inserted inthe reserve station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Various dispensers of this general kind arealready known, and the present invention contemplates an improvedarrangement of a dispenser of this kind in which the operation ofloading or refilling is greatly simplified as compared with variousprior dispensers. For example; whereas in some prior arrangements whenthe reserve roll is moved to the station of the primary roll (to makeroom for a new reserve roll) it is necessary to break or tear the paperweb and, after insertion of the roll into the primary roll station, theweb must be rethreaded through the feed mechanism. This is distinctlyinconvenient. In addition, various of the prior known arrangementsrequire displacement of several parts of the mechanism in order topermit re-threading of the dispenser and, for practical purposes, it isnot feasible to use dispenser equipment of any type where therethreading operation is complex or inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In accordance with the present invention thedispenser automatically transfers from the primary to the reserve rollunder the influence of termination of tension' in the web of paperrunning from the primary roll to the feed and dispensing mechanism, sothat the transfer will occur when the primary is exhausted or when theweb of the primary roll is broken. It is an objective of the inventionto provide for the shifting of the position of the reserve roll to theprimary roll station,

merely by moving the reserve roll to the station forposition, i.e., toprovide for feed of the web from either the upper or lower side of theroll. This further simplifies re-threading and assures that properoperation will be maintained regardless of the position in which therolls are inserted.

In the second embodiment of the transfer mechanism of this invention, anelement is employed for moving I the reserve web into the feed mechanismwhich includes a laterally movable element capable of positionalself-adjustment, such that the reserve paper web is brought accuratelyinto the feed nip formed by the feed rollers. This improvement providesmaximum reliability in the transfer of function. Further, in thisembodiment, a novel means for mounting the primary roll is providedwhich maintains the tension in the web extended from the primary roll,thereby insuring the feed of the web from the primary roll untilexhaustion. Again, the transfer mechanism will feed the web of thereserve roll if the web of the primary roll is accidently broken.

Other advantages and meritorious features of the disclosed inventionwill be more fully understood from the description of the preferredembodiments, the appended claims and the drawings, a description ofwhich follows:

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred form of thedispenser in vertical section, this view being taken as indicated by thesection line l-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the sectionline 2-2 to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the condition whereonly a small amount of the roll remains.

FIG. 4 is a similar view but showing the shift in position of the upperroll to the lower or primary roll station.

FIG. 5 is a similar view but further illustrating the in-.

sertion of a new reserve roll inv the upper station.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating the condition afterexhaustion of the paper on the lower roll and transfer of the feed tothe roll in the upper station.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the towel dispenser of thisinvention in vertical section.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the elements of the dispensershown in FIG. 7, in the direction of view arrows 88 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a vertical section view, similar-to FIG. 7, il-' lustrating acondition in the dispenser when the primary roll is nearing exhaustionand has been moved to the lower or primary roll station, with a newreserve roll placed in the reserve roll station.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the portion of the transfer mechanismshown'in FIGS. 8 and 9, and

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the mounting bracket for the primaryroll in the primary station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment illustratedin FIGS. 1 to 6, the dispenser is provided with a back wall 7, which isusually fastened to a support, side walls 8,8, and a cover comprising afront wall 9 and a top wall 10; the cover being pivoted in the remainingcabinet structure by means of pivots 11,11 so that the cover may beswung upwardly and thus fully expose the interior of the cabinet.

The cabinet is provided with stations for accommodating primary andreserve paper rolls, it being understood that these terms primary andreserve are used to refer respectively to the roll which is respectivelysupplying the paper toweling and to the roll which is in reserve forsubsequent dispensing of the paper toweling.

The station for the primary roll is provided in the cabinet by a cabinetwall 12 inclined upwardly and forwardly from the lower edge of the backwall of the cabinet. This forms a pocket in the back rear corner of thecabinet for accommodating the primary roll, for instance, the rollindicated at P in FIGS. 4 and 5. The lateral position of the primaryroll in the primary roll station may be established by angle bracketshaving lower portions 13 overlying and secured to the inclined wall 12and further having upright portions 14 positioned just beyond the endsof the primary roll.

The reserve paper roll station is established by a pair of bent wireelements 15,15 one end of each of which is fastened as at 16 to theinner surface of the back wall 7, these wire supports having inwardlybent portions 17 adapted to be inserted into ends of the core C. A rollsuch as the paper supply roll indicated at S in FIG. 1 may readily bemounted in the reserve paper station or removed therefrom merely byoutwardly flexing the wire supports 15.

The channels or throat through which the paper is delivered from thecabinet is indicated at 18, being formed between a forward, upward bentedge 12a of the inclined wall 12 and the transverse strip or bracket 19provided to support the paper feed mechanism. The paper feed mechanismincludes the drive roller 20 and the pressure roller 21, the latterpreferably having rubber rings or friction material thereon cooperatingwith the drive roller 20 in the feed of the paper in a manner which iswell understood in this art. The drive roller 20 is provided with anoperating handle 22 extended through the adjacent side wall of thecabinet to a position for convenient access (see FIG. 2).

With the cabinet in the condition illustrated in FIG. 1, a supply rollof paper S is shown as mounted by the spring supports with its web 23extended from the roll around the forward portion of the pressure roller21 into and through the nip between the rollers 20 and 21 and thencedownwardly through the dispensing throat 18. In FIG. 1 only a singleroll is shown and this may be considered as representing an initialloading condition of the cabinet; the roll S occupying the reserve rollstation. After use of some appreciable quantity of paper from the rollS, for instance when the roll has been diminished to the size indicatedat P in FIG. 3, this roll which may be considered as the primary roll,is then moved to the primary roll station, in which the roll isillustrated in FIG. 4. For the purpose of accomplishing this shift ofthis roll P from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the positionillustrated in FIG. 4, the friction or pressure foot 24 is pivotedupwardly about the pivot 25. The friction device 24 is shown in loweredposition in FIGS. 1 and 4 but in the upwardly pivoted position in FIG.3. A pair of springs 26,26 serves to urge the friction device 24downwardly when it has been pivoted in the downward direction and servesalso to retain the device 24 in its upwardly pivoted position as shownin FIG. 3, because of the over center relationship of the spring to theaxis of the pivots 25.

Referring again to FIG. 3, when the device 24 is in its up position asthere shown, it will be seen that the pri mary roll P may then readilybe removed from the spring supports 15 and dropped into the primary rollstation as shown in FIG. 4, whereupon the device 24 may be dropped toits lower positionas is also shown in FIG. 4.

Attention is now called to the primary roll P in the primary station, asin FIG. 4. The web 23 of this roll ex:

tends under the friction or pressure foot 24a of thede- I vice 24 andthence over a feeler or sensing rolleror device'27. This device ismounted by means of a pair of double ended arms 28 which are pivoted at29,29 on. the brackets 30,30 projecting upwardly from the support 19.

The double ended arms 28 also carry the transfer roller 31, the purposeand functions of which will be described below.

With the cabinet in the condition illustrated in FIG.

4, an attendant may also introduce a reserve roll of paper indicated atR in FIG. 5. This roll is mounted in the reserve paper station providedby the spring supports 15, and the leading end of the web 32 is drawndownwardly and introduced between the transfer roll 31 and the pair offeed rollers 20 and 21 as is illustrated. 1

in FIG. 5. In this condition illustrated in FIG. 5, feed of the paperwill continue drawing the web 23 fromthe primary roll P and the web 32from the reserve roll R occurs when the trailing end of the web 23leaves the core C of the primary roll. At that time the springs 33,33acting on the double ended arms 28 move the double ended arms about thepivots 29 to the position shown in FIG. 6. In consequence, the leadingend of the web 32 of the reserve roll is delivered by the transferroller 31 into the nip between the feed rollers .20 and 21, with theresult that the paper feed now occurs by withdrawing the web 32 from theroll which had been occupying the position of the reserve roll. Thiscondi tion again continues until the roll R is moved to the primary rollstation, as in FIG. 4. It will be understood that the empty core C ofthe roll which had previously been in the lower or primary station willbe removed and discarded before the roll R is transferred from thereserve station to the primary station. It is understood that thetension in the web 23 may also be interruptedif the 1 web is broken. Inthis case, the transfer mechanism will automatically begin feeding theweb 32 from the reserve roll, asshown in FIG. 5.

The embodiment of the dispenser shownin FIGS. 7 to 11 maybe similar inmany details to the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 with theimprovements described below. As described above, the cabinet for thedispenser includes a back wall 106, side walls 107,107 and top andbottom walls 108 and 109, respectively. A displaceable lid or closure110 is pivotally connected with the remainder of the cabinet by pivotsindicated at 111. The lid is thus capable of being opened by swingingthe lid outwardly and downwardly to expose the interior of the cabinetin order to provide for shifting of the re-.

serve or upper roll to the lower or primary roll station n and forloading a new reserve roll, as described above in regard to FIGS. 1 to6. The toweling is delivered from the cabinet through a dispensingopening pro vided in the lower forward corner of the cabinet, be-

tween the bottom wall 109 andthe closure 110, as indicated at 112 inFIGS. 7 and 9.

Rolls of toweling, for example paper toweling, commonly have a centralcore by means of which the roll may be mounted. In the upper portion ofthe cabinet, a pair of spring arms 113 are mounted on the back wall 106and extend forwardly to carry; roll mounting elements 114 which areconfigured to be received in the ends of the roll core and provide amounting axis for a roll of paper or the like in the upper portion ofthe cabinet. This mounting establishes the] station for the re.- serveroll of paper, asdescribed above. In FIG.. 7, only single roll S ofpaper is illustrated, with the web W thereof extending downwardly to andthrough the feed' mechanism described below. I

The feed mechanism comprises a pair of feed rollers 115 and 116, similarto the feed rollers 20 and 21 in FIGS. 1 to 6. Feed roller 116 isprovided with a shaft having an operating crank or handle 117 projectingof one side of the cabinet (see FIG. 8) providing for manual activationof the feed rollers ifiTh'e roller 116 is therefore the driven rollerand advantageously the roller 115 comprises a pressure rolle,r,.preferably having rubber rings or friction material, as described above,cooperating with the drive roller 116 in the feed of toweling in themanner as described above and understood in this art.

It will be seen from FIG. 7'that theweb W of the roll S is threadeddownwardly in front of the roller 115 and then rearwardly through thenip provided between the rollers 115 and 116 from which the web extendsdownwardly and forwardly in front of the. paper guide 118, to bedelivered from the cabinet through the dispensing opening 112. p

As described above and shown in FIG. 7, the paper web from the roll Sfirst passes in front of the roller 119 and then downwardly to a pair offeed rollers 115 and 116. The roller 119 is mounted on a-=rod or shaft120 (see also FIG. 10). The rod 120 includes arms 121, 12 l which arepivotally mounted a122, 122. The rods are further extended beyond thepivot points, as indicated at 123, 123 in FIG. 4, in order to mount theshaft 124 by means of which the roller 125 is carried. The parts 119 to125 comprise the transfer-mechanism and this assembly is biased aboutthe axis provided by pivots 122,122 to the position shown in'FIG. 7 bymeans of springs 126, one of which is associated with the parts adjacentthe pivots at each side of the cabinet, as described above and shown inFIGS. 7 and 8.

The operation of this embodiment of the dispenser to feed the web RW ofthe reserve roll R when the primary roll P is exhausted has beendescribed above and need not be described here in detail. Briefly, whensome appreciable quantity 'of the paper from roll S has been dispensed(see FIG. 7) its diameter will be reduced so that it may readily beaccommodated by the lower of primary roll station provided in the lowerback of the cabinet. This partially used roller is shown in the primaryroll station and is indicated in FIG. 9 by the letter P. In this loweror primary station, the roll is mounted by means of a pair ofcore'engaging elements 127, 127, see also FIG. 11. These elements aremounted by means of spring armsj"l28,128, each of which has a springloop 129. The spring arms 128 are mounted on the back wall of thecabinet by brackets 130 and in this way the arms ares upported and inposi tion in which they are urged inwardly towards each other, atopposite ends. The elements 127,127 frictionally engage the ends of theroll core, thereby imposing drag upon the paper web being dispensed fromthe roll in this station, eliminating the requirement of a pressurefoot, as shown at 24 in FIGS. 3 to 6. The use of the friction or drag onthe primary roll P cooperates with the paper feed mechanism, includingthe hand operated lever 117 in establishing tension in the web W fromthe primary roll. That is, the run of the web from the roll in theprimary station to the feed mechanism is tensioned and displaces thetrigger or feeler 119 to the position illustrated in FIG. 9. Inconsequence of this, the transfer roll 125 is displaced forwardly, awayfrom and out of the nip between the feed rollers and l 16. i

When servicing the dispenser, the attendant places a fresh roll in theupper station, as described above, which is the reserve station, asshown at R in FIG. 9. Roll R comprises the reserve roll from which theweb RW will be fed when the web from the primary roll is exhausted orthe tension in the web is broken. It will be seen from FIG. 9 that theweb RW is initially drawn downwardly with its leading end looselyinserted between the transfer roll and the feed mechanism, as describedabove. With the parts in this position, the web RW will not bedispensed, but the leading end will merely remain adjacent the feedmechanism preparation for delivery.

As described above, when the web W of the primary roll P is completelyexhausted or the tension in the web is interrupted, the springs 126acting on the transfer assembly parts 119 to 125, inclusive, cause'thetrigger or feeler 119 to rise from the position shown in FIG. 9 to theposition shown in FIG. 7. The transfer roller 125 will move rearwardly,forcing the web RW into the nip between the feed rollers 115 and 116,thus initiating the dispensing of the web from the reserve roll. Thiscondition will then continue until the attendant again services thecabinet, at which time he will remove the core of the primary roll andreposition and reserve roll from the upper or reserve station to thelower or primary station as described above.

It will be noted, particularly from FIGS. 7, 9 and 10, that the transferroller 125, which is mounted on the rod 124, has an internal diametersubstantially larger in diameter than the external diameter of the rod125. In the disclosed embodiment, the internal diameter of the transferroller is approximately twice the external diameter of the rod 124. Themounting of the transfer roller in this manner provides forself-adjustment movement of the transfer roller to accurately fit andengage in the feed nip between the feed rollers 1 15 and 116.Consequently, the web of the reserve roll is brought accurately intoengagement with the feed nip and this enhances reliability of thetransfer function. The arrangement of this transfer element to have thecapability of self-adjustment movement is highly advantageous andcompensating for manufacturing inaccuracies and permits the utilizationof the relatively simple and inexpensive wire construction shown in FIG.11.

of the cabinet, in the space behind the feed and transfer mechanisms.

It will be seen from the description of the embodiments above that thetowel dispenser of this invention is exceedingly simple and reliable andhas the further advantage that the transfer of feed from one roll toanother normally occurs only at a point very close to the end of theprimary roll, thus avoiding paper waste incident to feed of a portion ofthe leading end of the reserve roll web along with a portion of thetrailing end of the primary roll web.

Further, the reserve roll may be transferred from the reserve rollstation to the primary roll station without rethreading of the webthrough the feed rollers and in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 11,the reserve roll may be transferred without any adjustment of theinternal mechanism.

We claim:

1. A towel dispenser for sequentially dispensing toweling from rollssupported within the dispenser, comprising:

a first roll station for rotatably supporting a first towel roll, asecond roll station for rotatably supporting a second towel roll, spacedfrom said first station, a feed mechanism spaced from said roll stationsreceiving the web from either of the towel rolls and dispensing thetoweling, tensioning means longitudinally tensioning an unsupported freetravel portion of the first towel web between said first towel stationand said feed mechanism when feeding said first towel roll, and atransfer means for transferring the web of the towel roll in the secondstation to said feed mechanism when the tension in the web of the towelroll in said first station is broken, and a sensing means biased againstsaid longitudinally tensioned free travel portion of the first towel webfor sensing the longitudinal tension therein and responsive to a loss inthe longitudinal tension in said free travel portion in the first towelweb to actuate said transfer means and deliver the web of the secondtowel roll to said feed mechanism and thereby initiate dispensing ofsaid second towel roll.

2. The towel dispenser defined in claim 1 characterized in that saidtensioning means rotatably supports the opposed ends of a towel rollwithin said first towel station and is resiliently tensioned inwardly torestrict the free rotation of the towel roll and tension the web betweenthe roll and said feed mechanism.

3. The towel dispenser defined in claim 1, characterized in that saidfeed mechanism includes a pair of parallel, engaging feed rollers, atleast one of which is rotatably driven to feed a toweling web from thedis penser and said transfer means including a transfer roller normallyspaced from said feed rollers when the rollers are dispensing the web ofthe first towel roll and receiving the web of the second towel rollbetween said transfer roller and said feed roller, said transfer rollerthen biased between the feed rollers by said sensing means to beginfeeding the second towel roll web.

4. The towel dispenser defined in claim 3, characterized in that saidtransfer roller is loosely received on a shaft parallel to the axis ofrotation of said feed rollers to permit internal adjustment andalignment of said transfer roller between said feed rollers, providingequal pressure against said feed rollers.

5. A device for dispensing paper from .rollscomprising a cabinet havinga dispensing opening, paper feed means engageable with the paper todeliver the paper from the interior of the cabinet through thedispensing opening, the cabinet having a station fora primary paper rollfrom which the paper web extends in a run to the feed means having anunsupported longitudinally tensioned free travel portion, the cabinetalso having a station for a reserve paper roll located above thestameans and the station for the primary roll and below the path of saidprimary web run, the feeler being biased in an upward direction againstsaid longitudinally. tensioned free run of the primary roll web andbeing responsive to reduction in tension in the primary web to activatethe urging means to effect engagement of the reserve web with the feedmeans.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 in which the cabinet is provided witha substantially unobstructed passage through which a roll may be movedfrom the reserve station to the primary station without disengaging thepaper web from the feed means.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 and further including means forapplying drag on the primary web and thereby maintain tension thereinuntil the primary roll is exhausted.

8. A device for dispensing paper from rolls compris ing a cabinet havingpaper feed means comprising a pair of feed rolls rotatably engaging andforming a 7 paper feed nip, the cabinet having a station for a primarypaper roll from which the paper web extends in a run into said feedmeans nip, the cabinet also having a station for a reserve paper rollfrom which the paper web extends in a run to a point adjacentsaid nip,a.

mechanism for introducing the reserve paper web into said nip comprisinga roller loosely mounted on a shaft generally parallel to said feedrolls and means moving said roller into said feed means nip uponexhaustion of said primary roll, said loosely mounted roller thenfloating on said shaft to assure accurate engagement with said feedrolls.

9. A towel dispenser for sequentially dispensing tow eling from aprimary towel roll located at a first roll sta-.

tion and a secondary towel roll located at a second roll station spacedfrom said first station, comprising afeed means spaced from both saidtowel roll stations and adapted to feed toweling from said dispenser,the towel web of the primary roll being longitudinally tensioned.

in an unsupported free travel portion betweensaid primary roll and saidfeed means when a toweling web is being dispensed from said primaryroll, sensing means contacting said free travel portion of said primarytowel web to sense the longitudlnal tension therein, a transfer rollernormally spaced from said feed means by said sensing means, the web ofsaid secondary roll being interposed between said transfer roller andsaid feed means, and means interconnecting said sensing means and saidtransfer roller adapted to displace the transfer roller to the feedmeans, delivering the interposed web of said secondary roll into feedingrelation withsaid A feed means thereby dispensing the web of saidsecondary towel roll by said feed means when the longitudinal tension insaidfree travel portion of said primary roll.

web is lost by virtue of either l) exhaustion of the primary roll web or(2) breakage of the primary roll web.

1. A towel dispenser for sequentially dispensing toweling from rollssupported within the dispenser, comprising: a first roll station forrotatably supporting a first towel roll, a second roll station forrotatably supporting a second towel roll, spaced from said firststation, a feed mechanism spaced from said roll stations receiving theweb from either of the towel rolls and dispensing the toweling,tensioning means longitudinally tensioning an unsupported free travelportion of the first towel web between said first towel station and saidfeed mechanism when feeding said first towel roll, and a transfer meansfor transferring the web of the towel roll in the second station to saidfeed mechanism when the tension in the web of the towel roll in saidfirst station is broken, and a sensing means biased against saidlongitudinally tensioned free travel portion of the first towel web forsensing the longitudinal tension therein and responsive to a loss in thelongitudinal tension in said free travel portion in the first towel webto actuate said transfer means and deliver the web of the second towelroll to said feed mechanism and thereby initiate dispensing of saidsecond towel roll.
 2. The towel dIspenser defined in claim 1characterized in that said tensioning means rotatably supports theopposed ends of a towel roll within said first towel station and isresiliently tensioned inwardly to restrict the free rotation of thetowel roll and tension the web between the roll and said feed mechanism.3. The towel dispenser defined in claim 1, characterized in that saidfeed mechanism includes a pair of parallel, engaging feed rollers, atleast one of which is rotatably driven to feed a toweling web from thedispenser and said transfer means including a transfer roller normallyspaced from said feed rollers when the rollers are dispensing the web ofthe first towel roll and receiving the web of the second towel rollbetween said transfer roller and said feed roller, said transfer rollerthen biased between the feed rollers by said sensing means to beginfeeding the second towel roll web.
 4. The towel dispenser defined inclaim 3, characterized in that said transfer roller is loosely receivedon a shaft parallel to the axis of rotation of said feed rollers topermit internal adjustment and alignment of said transfer roller betweensaid feed rollers, providing equal pressure against said feed rollers.5. A device for dispensing paper from rolls comprising a cabinet havinga dispensing opening, paper feed means engageable with the paper todeliver the paper from the interior of the cabinet through thedispensing opening, the cabinet having a station for a primary paperroll from which the paper web extends in a run to the feed means havingan unsupported longitudinally tensioned free travel portion, the cabinetalso having a station for a reserve paper roll located above the stationfor the primary roll from which the paper web extends to a pointadjacent to the feed means, and mechanism for effecting transfer ofpaper feed from the primary roll to the reserve roll comprising meansfor urging the reserve roll web from its position adjacent to the feedmeans into operative engagement with the feed means, and means foractivating said urging means including a web feeler positioned betweenthe feed means and the station for the primary roll and below the pathof said primary web run, the feeler being biased in an upward directionagainst said longitudinally tensioned free run of the primary roll weband being responsive to reduction in tension in the primary web toactivate the urging means to effect engagement of the reserve web withthe feed means.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5 in which the cabinetis provided with a substantially unobstructed passage through which aroll may be moved from the reserve station to the primary stationwithout disengaging the paper web from the feed means.
 7. A device asdefined in claim 5 and further including means for applying drag on theprimary web and thereby maintain tension therein until the primary rollis exhausted.
 8. A device for dispensing paper from rolls comprising acabinet having paper feed means comprising a pair of feed rollsrotatably engaging and forming a paper feed nip, the cabinet having astation for a primary paper roll from which the paper web extends in arun into said feed means nip, the cabinet also having a station for areserve paper roll from which the paper web extends in a run to a pointadjacent said nip, a mechanism for introducing the reserve paper webinto said nip comprising a roller loosely mounted on a shaft generallyparallel to said feed rolls and means moving said roller into said feedmeans nip upon exhaustion of said primary roll, said loosely mountedroller then floating on said shaft to assure accurate engagement withsaid feed rolls.
 9. A towel dispenser for sequentially dispensingtoweling from a primary towel roll located at a first roll station and asecondary towel roll located at a second roll station spaced from saidfirst station, comprising a feed means spaced from both said towel rollstations and adapted to feed toweling from said dispenser, the towel webof the primary roll being longitudinally tensioned in an unsupportedfree travel portion between said primary roll and said feed means when atoweling web is being dispensed from said primary roll, sensing meanscontacting said free travel portion of said primary towel web to sensethe longitudinal tension therein, a transfer roller normally spaced fromsaid feed means by said sensing means, the web of said secondary rollbeing interposed between said transfer roller and said feed means, andmeans interconnecting said sensing means and said transfer rolleradapted to displace the transfer roller to the feed means, deliveringthe interposed web of said secondary roll into feeding relation withsaid feed means thereby dispensing the web of said secondary towel rollby said feed means when the longitudinal tension in said free travelportion of said primary roll web is lost by virtue of either (1)exhaustion of the primary roll web or (2) breakage of the primary rollweb.